Sunday roster move may bode badly for KC Royals outfielder

KC Royals left fielder MJ Melendez, sidelined since spraining an ankle against Boston in the club's final game before the All-Star Break, returned to action Sunday after completing his stay on the 10-day Injured List.

To make room for him on the 26-man active roster, Kansas City optioned outfielder Drew Waters back to Triple-A Omaha, where he's spent most of the season. While unsurprising, the move could foretell Waters' future with the organization.

His time with it might not be long.

His short stay in Kansas City isn't a positive sign for Drew Waters

Normally, it would be easy to write off Waters' Sunday demotion as nothing more than a numbers-driven move, a minor league option necessitated merely by the need to create space for Melendez's return. And because Waters was the player recalled to take Melendez's big league roster spot when he went on the IL, he was the most logical choice to lose his spot on the 26-man.

But this time, it's hard to shake the feeling that Waters' days with the Royals may be numbered. We wrote after his recall that the club should use Waters' latest time in Kansas City to gauge his suitability for a more permanent roster slot by playing him regularly while Melendez healed. The suggestion made sense.

That's not what happened. Instead, Waters appeared in only four of the eight games Melendez missed. He went 2-for-8 with an RBI, but his playing time fell short of what it probably would have been if the Royals viewed him as more, or potentially more, than just a temporary roster replacement for an injured player.

No, the Royals apparently didn't plan to put Waters, MLB Pipeline's No. 1 Atlanta prospect when KC traded for him in 2022, in their lineup every day until Melendez returned. That, combined with the ticket back to the minors they gave Waters Sunday, suggests they're fine with Melendez in left, reserve outfielder Dairon Blanco in his late-inning defensive replacement and pinch runner roles, and the group of others who rotate in and out of KC's outfield corners.

Add to the equation the .188 Waters is hitting in two short trips to the majors this season, and his 137-game .229 career big league average, and it's hard to escape the conclusion that Kansas City's long-term plans don't include significant, or even much more, major league time for him.

Also not helping his case is the flock of young outfielders, and players capable of playing in the outfield, the Royals have at Omaha. With a .273/.359/.498 line, 10 homers, and 44 runs driven in across 68 games, Waters is enjoying a nice season with the Storm Chasers. But so are others.

Don't be surprised, then, to see the Royals make some kind of move with Waters after this season ends, or perhaps even before should any clubs show interest in him before the MLB trade deadline expires Tuesday.

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